Length-assorting and conveying apparatus for lumber after deknotting operations



H. H. DEDO LENGTH-ASSORTING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS FOR LUMBER AFTER DEKNOTTING OPERATIONS Filed May 14, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l \\\\\&\\\\\\ t Dec. 15, 1953 H. H. DEDO ASSORTING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS 2,662,640 LENGTH FOR LUMBER AFTER DEKNOTTING OPERATIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 14, 1951 INVENTGR Kama/r J-L'.Dedo

ll H II II II ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 15, 1953 [TED E'PATN'F ENC TENG OPERATIONS Homer H. Bede, Merced, Calif.

Application May 14, 1351, Serial No. 226,265

2 Claims. I

This invention relates in general to the 1' manufacturing of lumber, and in particular is direct-cu to apparatus especially designed-but not r use in the Method of l roducing Lengths or :er by Flngcrjointing, as shown and described coperlding application, Serial No. 223,613, filed April 22, 1351.

In such a method one of the primary steps is to cut relatively shorter lengths of clear lumber from initially longer lengths having knots or oter imperfections therein at irregularly spaced lots; the cut-out blocks which include the knots or imperfections being separated from the remaining, relatively shorter but odd. lengths 01" clear lumber, and the latter being by th for subsequent use in the method.

is the major object i this invention to provide novel apparatus for supporting and cutting Jhe initially longs lengths of lumber to remove apparatus being arranged to accomplish such cutting of the initial lengths successively, rapidly, and with a minimum of labor required.

A separate important object of the present invention is to provide apparatus, for the purpose described, w -uh includesoeyond a cut-oh" saw unit-a novel conveyor assembly adapted to convey the out, relatively shorter lengths of lumber to predetermined points; shorter lengths discharging at one point and longer lengths discharging at another point, with all lengths falling onto a chute positioned to receive and accumulate such roughly classified lengths in general separation.

It is also object of the invention to provide lumber de-knotting and conveying apparatus which is designed for ease of construction, well as conve ience and economy of operation.

Still another object or the invention is to provide practi al and reliable lumber de-knotting and convey aratus, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which is designed.

These objects are accomplished means oi such structur and relative arrangement of parts will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and In the drawings:

l is a perspective view of the apparatus in use.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional 'atiou of carry-oil conveyor. a. 4 is a cross section on line i e of Fig. 2.

5 is a cross section on line 5- of Fig. 2.

Ill

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, appara tus comprises an elevated platform i suitably leg-supported from the ground, on which a power driven, cut-oil? saw unit, indicated genrally at 2, is mounted; such cut-oil unit 2 including a normally retracted, circular or cutoff saw 3 adapted to be advanced by depression of a pedal l foot-actuated by operator 5 standing on the platform I front of t e saw unit 2. The latter includes a saw table ii hava longitudinal back stop l against wh'ch the work is adapted to be engaged for cut-oft by the circular saw 3.

access to the elevated platform I gained by means of a stairway 3 having protective side railings Q; the right-hand one of which railings extends forwardly on the platform I, as at it, in uarding relation alongside the station at which the operator 5 stands.

A roller-type delivery conveyor, inclicatcd generally at H, is mounted horizontally in a plane above, and extends to, the platform I from a point a distance ahead thereof relative to the direction of travel of the lumber, as will hereinafter appear; such conveyor it being supported from the platform I by legs I2, and. at the opposite end from the ground by a post it.

laterally of the outer end portion of the conveyor H the apparatus includes a platform it elevated above the ground by supporting legs iii. but disposed in a horizontal plane below the conveyor H. The elevated platform it is fitted, along opposite side edges and on the top, with roller conveyors it; the platform It and said roller conveyors IE5 providing the support for a stack ll of lumber. The stack ll comprise.

ot a multiplicity of lengths !8 of lumber premilled to predetermined like width, thi i lness, and length; being of a grade which includes knots or other imperfections it irregularly spaced therein.

The lengths l8 of lumber in the stack 5? extend lengthwise of the apparatus, a tion of such apparatus is to cut out U other imperfections [9, whereby to ob tively shorter but clear lengths of lunicer for use in the production of finger jointed lumber, in the manner contemplated in the method or" the aforesaid copending application.

From the stack ll the lengths it of lumber are placed, one at a time and lengthwise, on delivery conveyor H, being" advanced on conveyor progressively across the saw table i5, riding against the longitudinal back-stop I.

The operator maintains each length It of lumber against the longitudinal back-stop l by hand, as shown in Fig. l, and also manipulates the lumber lengthwise; the circular cut-off saw 3 being actuated by the foot pedal 4 to make such cuts as are necessary to remove blocks 28 having the knots or imperfections l9 therein. As each such block is cut, it drops from the circular cut-off saw 3 into a slide trough 21 which discharges into a catch box 22.

Beyond the lengths I8 of lumber being so cut,

the resulting, relatively shorter clear lengths 23" are received on the near end of a longitudinally extending, roller-type, carry-oii conveyor, indicated at 2 3, Said conveyor includes a multiplicity of transverse rollers; the initial or lead one of said rollers 25 having a friction face 25, and being driven by a motor and drive assembly, indicated generally at 2?. The direction of drive is such that the friction face 26 turns forwardly at the top; i. e. away from the saw unit 2, whereby to initially power-advance the relatively shorter lengths 23 of lumber on said conveyor 24; the remaining rollers 28 of said conveyor being idlers.

Additionally, the carry of conveyor 24 includes, at one side, a fixed longitudinal guide 295, and-above the rollers a laterally adjustable, longitudinal guide 30, whereby the spacing between the guides and may be set to maintain lumber of a given width in proper lengthwise position on the conveyor.

The numeral 3! indicates the horizontal frame of the conveyor 24, which frame is supported at the ends by legs 32 from the upper edge portion of a relatively wide, flat chute 3 which inclines laterally outwardly and downwardly from below said cary-ofi conveyor 24, being suitably leg-supported from the ground, as shown. The chute 33 extends laterally of the carry-off conveyor 24 opposite the side from which the elevated platform [4 projects from the delivery conveyor 1!; said chute 33 including an upstanding lower edge stop 34 and upstanding sides 35.

As the clear lengths 23 of lumber vary considerably in length, it is desirable that an initial rough classification be obtained, and the present apparatus accomplishes this result automatically, as follows:

The carry-off conveyor 24 includes filler boards 36 between adjacent idler rollers 28, except between one pair of the latter intermediate the ends of the conveyor, whereby to form a gap 3?. The shortest of the lengths 23 of 1umber--as feeding forwardly on the conveyor 24-will teeter and fall through the 31, dropping onto and sliding down the chute to accumulate in a pile, indicated generally at 36.

The longest of the lengths 23 of lumber, moving forwardly on the carry-oil conveyor 24, span the gap 2? and continue on said conveyor to its outer end, whence they drop onto the chute 33 and slide down it to accumulate in another pile 39. In this manner there is a rough classification by length of the lengths of lumber 23; i. e. the shortest in the pile 3S, and the longest in the pile 39.

The fixed, longitudinal guide 29 of the conveyor 26 is extended as at ts some distance be yond the outer end of the latter, and is formed as a support which is right-angle in cross section, to form horizontal ledge 4i substantially level with conveyor 24 so that when the longest of the lengths 23 of lumber reach the outer end of the conveyor 24, they are maintained horizontal until their full escape occurs. The advantage of this arrangement is that such lengths fall onto the chute lengthwise of the apparatus, and tend to maintain the same general position as they slide down the chute 33 and accumulate in the pile 39.

With the above described apparatus, the relatively short clear lengths 23 of lumber can be produced, conveyed, and roughly classified in an effective and expedient manner; the operation of the apparatus requiring a minimum of hand labor, and the rough classification by length which is attained reducing the extent to which the lengths 23 must be handled for subsequent full classification.

From the foregoing description it wil be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the invention, still in practice such deviations therefrom may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a lumber-length segregating apparatus which comprises a horizontal conveyor to receive cut lengths lengthwise at one end of the conveyor, and arranged to convey said lengths along the same toward the other end of the conveyor for discharge, means intermediate the ends of the conveyor to discharge relatively short lumber lengths therefrom, the conveyor including an upstanding guide wall along one side against which one edge of the lengths of lumber moving along the conveyor may abut; an extension of said wall projecting beyond said other end of the conveyor, a horizontal ledge along the extension substantially alined with the conveyor and projecting transversely thereof a relatively short distance to support the adjacent edge portion of a relatively long length of lumber projecting beyond said other end of the conveyor while still being advanced along the same, and a chute under said extension and ledge projecting at a downward slope laterally of the conveyor to receive the last named lengths of lumber when such lengths have been advanced for substantially their full length along the ledge.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, with a laterally adjustable guide on and extending along the conveyor to maintain the lengths of lumber on the conveyor confined between said guide and the upstanding wall.

HOMER H. DEDO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 296,334 Jones Apr. 8, 1884 378,796 Linderman Feb. 28, 1888 1,277,326 Lohman Aug. 27, 1918 1,454,992 Willette May 15, 1923 1,767.012 Pfau June 24, 1930 1,907,564: Osborn et al May 9, H33 2,356,295 Yost Aug. 22, 1944 2,563,867 Rathert et al Aug. 14, 1951 2,600,147 Wilson June 10, 1952 

